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Walker Buehler works 5 strong innings in his Phillies debut, an 8-2 win over the Royals
Walker Buehler works 5 strong innings in his Phillies debut, an 8-2 win over the Royals
PHILADELPHIA — Walker Buehler pitched five strong innings in his Philadelphia debut, Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott homered, and the Phillies won their fifth straight, 8-2 over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
Buehler allowed one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts for the NL East-leading Phillies, who are closing in on clinching the division.
A veteran of seven mostly successful but injury-marred seasons with the Dodgers before joining Boston this season, Buehler was released by the Red Sox on Aug. 29 and signed with the Phillies two days later.
On Friday, he earned his first win since Aug. 8 for Boston at San Diego. He allowed a run in the first when Bobby Witt Jr. singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Maikel Garcia.
The Phillies tied it in the second against Michael Lorenzen on a sacrifice fly by Rafael Marchan. They broke it open over the next two innings.
In the third, Harper hit a two-run homer, and Brandon Marsh tripled and scored on a single by Otto Kemp for a 4-1 lead. In the fourth, Marchan, Harrison Bader and Kyle Schwarber hit consecutive doubles to push the advantage to 6-1.
Stott added a two-run shot in the seventh.
Lorenzen went three-plus innings, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits.
Schwarber led off the third with a walk before Harper drilled one into the left-field seats for his 26th homer, giving the Phillies the lead for good.
Seldom-used backup catcher Marchan, who entered with a .178 batting average, had two hits and scored a run after his sacrifice fly in the second.
Royals right-hander Ryan Bergert opposes the Phillies’ Taijuan Walker as the series continues on Saturday.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
